1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle-mounted carrier racks and more particularly pertains to an outboard motor carrier for vehicles which may be adapted for supporting a conventional small marine outboard motor for transport on a rack coupled to a conventional vehicular trailer hitch sleeve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of vehicle-mounted carrier racks is known in the prior art. More specifically, vehicle-mounted carrier racks heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of supporting objects for vehicular transport are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for supporting objects for vehicular transport in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,708 to Kalbach describes an outboard motor stand apparatus secured to the interior of a vehicle. The disclosure does not show a way to support an outboard motor on a carrier coupled to a trailer hitch sleeve of a vehicle.
The prior art also discloses an articulated support rack for vehicles as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,822 to Allsop et al., a rack mountable on a trailer hitch ball of U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,607 to Tolsdorf, a trailer hitch cycle rack in U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,344, and a vehicle trailer-hitch-mounted bicycle carrier shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 294,564 to Stoecker. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose an outboard motor carrier for vehicles for supporting a conventional small marine outboard motor for transport on a rack coupled to a conventional vehicular trailer hitch sleeve.
In this respect, the outboard motor carrier for vehicles according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of supporting a conventional small marine outboard motor for transport on a rack coupled to a conventional vehicular trailer hitch sleeve.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new outboard motor carrier for vehicles which can be used for supporting a conventional small marine outboard motor for transport on a rack coupled to a conventional vehicular trailer hitch sleeve. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for supporting objects for vehicular transport. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.